The present method for joining similar conductive material components such as busbars, in electrical busway is by gas-metal arc welding (GMAW). This method of joining the components together causes excess weld metal to form on the busbars which requires additional process time and cost for the removal thereof. Additionally, the GMAW method requires the use of a filler wire which has a lower conductivity than the busbar material, thereby creating a joint that is lower in conductivity than the busbars that are being welded together. This lower conductivity causes the resistivity of the joint to be higher than the original material and, hence, increases the heat rise in the joint when current is drawn through.
Accordingly, there is a distinct need for an improved arrangement and method to join similar conductive material that will provide a joint that is substantially as conductive as the original material. Additionally, the improved arrangement will not produce excess weld metal on the material, thereby eliminating the need to remove this excess weld metal and, hence, decreasing the process time and cost required to weld the material together.